An important new concept in our understanding of multiple myeloma traces its origins back to the great nineteenth century scientist, Charles Darwin.

In his writings, Darwin described how char­acter­is­tics of animal and plant species can change over time. Slight differences in inherited char­acter­is­tics within a species, combined with variations in the en­viron­ment, can lead to certain char­acter­is­tics becoming more common in en­viron­ments favorable to those char­acter­is­tics.

A good example of what Darwin described is the range of size and shapes …

Does anyone else remember exactly when their old, regular, pre-myeloma life ended? I can still pinpoint the last moment of my old life. I think about it every Halloween.

It was the moment right before I pressed the “play” button on my answer­ing machine on the afternoon of October 31, 2005. Until I pressed that button, I was a regular, healthy, 30-year-old stay-at-home mom to a five-month-old baby.

After I pressed it, I was a myeloma patient.

No symptoms. No …

The International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) has issued updated criteria for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

The criteria have been published in The Lancet Oncology and are ac­com­panied by recommendations for monitoring and updated criteria for other related plasma cell disorders.

The new diagnostic criteria represent a paradigm shift in the approach to multiple myeloma and will have considerable impact on the management of the disease.

For decades, the diagnosis of multiple myeloma required the presence of “end-organ” damage that …

There are certain things you accept when you live in Houston: Dallas Cowboys fans are barely tolerated in this city, everyone claims their barbecue is the best, and you are living in hurricane country.

While Houston Texan fans try to make peace with the first item and hold their tongue when friends brag about the second, most everyone pays attention to the third item.

The official hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November 30, and throughout this time, …

I have a good friend who’s been bugging me lately about my health. Call him Bob (which is, in fact, his real name). Bob and I have been friends for almost 30 years, despite the fact that we have not seen one another for almost a quarter century. Bob and his wife have lived in Alaska for the last 22 years, so all of our contact is by phone or email.

Bob is a “fixer.” Bob is a lot of …

I consider myself an optimist. I always see the glass half full rather than half empty. This approach has served me well since my multiple mye­lo­ma diagnosis two and a half years ago.

However, while awaiting the blood test results of my regular check-ups, I turn into a pessimist. I expect the worst, and I mentally prepare myself for the worst possible news. I have no explanation for this change in attitude that I go through every three months.

In …

Multiple myeloma is very frustrating.

I know, I know. I am stating the obvious. Sometimes it just helps to say it out loud.

How can I have terminal cancer and not be sick? I mean, I see the results of the lab tests and mostly I understand them, so I know I really do have this cursed disease. However, I don’t really feel sick.

For those of you battling disease with very real – and very difficult – symptoms, this …